Air conditioning



Nov. 30,194& w. M. SIMPSON AIR CONDITIONING Filed Feb. 18. 1947 OOOOOOOOO 00000000 00000 O az u INVENTOR. 1

BY %mlm ,h Arra/?427 Pate'nted Nov. 30, 1948 STATES AIR CONDITIONING Walter M. Simpson, Evansville, End., aasigno' to Servel, Inc., Delaware New York, N. Y., a oorporation of Application February s, 1947, Serial No. 729544 e Ciaims. (Ci. aso-133 The present invention relates. to air conditioning and more particularly to a oonstruction and arrangement of elements for mounting a circulating fan on an air conditioning unit to deliver air in any of a plurality of directions to adapt it for particular conditions encountered in different installations.

Air conditioning units having a circulating fan -for delivering conditioned air to an enclosure have been extensively used to heat the enclosure in Winter or cool the enclosure in summer or both heat and cool the enclosure in Winter and summer, respectively. such air conditioning units are usuaily installed in the basement and connected by ducts to deliver conditioned air to the rooms to be conditioned. In some installations the conditioned air must be delivered'verticaily into riser ducts and in other installations the conditioned air must be delivered horizontally into laterally extending ducts depending upon the location of the air oonditioner and the arrangement oi the ducts.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an air con'ditioning unit in. which' the circulating fan may be mounted in a plurality z of positions to adapt it to del'iver air in different directions and thereby increase the fiexibility of the unit to accommodate difierent conditions of installations. e i

Another object isto provide an air conditioning unit with a conditioning chamber having an opening -therein through which the circulating fan is movable into and removable from the air conditioning unit.

Another object is to provide an air conditioning unit of the type indicated in which the position of the circulating'ian may be changed at the place of installation to adapt it for either horizontal or vertical air delivery by merely turning the fan bodily about an axis diagonal to the two directions of air flow.

Still another object oi' the invention is to provide an air conditioning unit of the type indi- 'cated in which a. cover plate on the circulating fan overlies the conditioning chamber at the sides of the opening -to mount the fan in the chamber for either horizontal or vertical air delivery.

These and other objeots will become more apparent from the following description' and drawing in which like reference characters -denote like' parte throughout the several views. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawing is for the purpose of illustration only and not a definition of the limits of the invention reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front sectional view of the conditioning chamber of an air conditioner for either heating or cooling the air and showing the circulating fan mounted therein with its outlet projecting through an opening in the chamber for delivering air vertically.

Fig. 2 is the sectional View of a part of the conditioning chamber showing the circulat-ing fan arranged with its outlet projecting through the opening in the chamber for horizontal air delivery, and

Flg. 3 is an end elevational view of the conditioning chamber showing the cover plate for mounting the circulating fan on the conditioning chamber for either horizontal or vertical air delivery and covering the opening in the chamber at the side of the fan.

The air conditloner illustrated in the drawing is of unitary construction enclosed in a generally -shaped casing B. The upper part of the 'l'- shaped casing 5 comprises a generally rectangular conditioning chamber 6 having an inlet opening 'i at one end and an outlet opening 8 at its opposite end. A duct 9 connects the inlet opening 'l of the condltioning chamber 6 to an enclosure lfl to be conditioned and a circulating fan li in the chamber has a rectangular outlet i& projecting through the opening 8 and connected to the enclosure by a duct i3. The circulating fan li draws air into the conditioning chamber 8 from theenclosure o through the duct 9 and delivers the air back to the enclosure through the duct la. Mounted in the conditioning' chamber 8 in the direction of air flow is a filter it, cooling element !5, heating element le and humidifier IT. Thus, air in the enclosure ii) is filtered and then cooled and dehumidifled or heated and humidified in accordance with requirements as it circulates .through the conditioning chamber B.

The cooling element IE constitutes the evaporator 'of a suitable refrigeration system and as illustrated oomprises a. plurality of rows ot tubes tubes oi each row being heet transfer nm ita. The heating element !3 3 !3 extending between headers I! adiacent the side walls oi the conditioning chamber 3, the provided with common is in the form oi a radiator and also is illustrated as oomprising a plurality of closely adiacent tubes extending between headers 2| adlacent v the walls o! the chamber.

the side walls o! the conditioning chamber 3.

The heating element or radiator !3 is positioned closely adjacent the cooling element i! in the conditioning chamber 3 and a wall 22 underliee the heating and cooling elements -to direct air toward the circulating'ian Il.

cooling or heating media may be seiectively supplied to the evaporator Il or radiator !3, respectively. by apparatus injhe base oi the casing 3. In my co-pending application filed concurrently herewith and entitled Air conditioning. an arrangement is illustrated and described wherein heating steam is selectively supplied to the generator oi' a heat operated reirigeration system including the evaporator I! or to a heating system including the heating element !3. Thus when steam is supplied to the refrigeration system .the cooling element !3 will cool the air delivered through the conditioning chamber 3 by the circulating tan Il and 'when steam is supplied :to the heating element !3 -the latter will heatthe air flowing through the conditioning, chamber.

.In accordance with the present invention the circulating ran il may be mounted in the conditioning chamber 3 to deliver air in the direction desired !or the particular installation. As illustrated in the drawing the circulating tan H is of the centriiugal type comprising a scroll casing 23 having parallel side walls 24 and 25 and a curved peripherai wall 23. Circular air inlet openings 21 are provided in' the side walls 24 and 23 oi the easing 23 and the walls of the casing form the rectangular outlet |2 which projects through the opening 3 of the conditioning chamber 3. Awheel 23 having blades 23 on its periphery is mounted fast on a rotatable shalt having its axis in alignment with the center of the cireular inlet openings 21. The shaft 30 is journaled in bearings 3| mounted on the side walla 32 of the conditioning chamber 0, see Fig. 3, and the shaft is driven by a motor 33 and belt 34 in T-shaped casing 3 cooperating with pulleys 33 and 33 on the motor and wheel shaft. respectively. In the preterred embodiment illustrated. the top wall 31 and end wall 38 of the conditioning chamber 3 extend beyond the side walls 32 with removable panels 33 attached thereto to enclose the bearings 3I. The bearings 3| are located on the side walls 32 of the -conditioning chamber 3 to position the wheel shaft 30 equal distances from the top and end walls 31 and 33 so that the shaft will be located on a. 45 diagonal line A-A through the corner of the conditioning chamber.

The opening 3 in the conditioning chamber 3 is located in its top and end walls 31 and 33 midway between the side walls 32 and extends an equal distance on either side of the diagonal line A -A. The opening a is of such dimensions as to adapt the circulating fan I I to be moved bodily i into and removed bodily from the conditioning chamber 3. A cover plate 40 fastened to the sides of the scroll casing 23. as by welding or the like. is shaped to conform to and overlie the top and end walls 31 and 33 of the conditioning chamber 3 adjacent the opening 3 and the fan is mounted on the walls or the chamber by means of screws ll extending through the cover plate and into When the i'an ll is mounted in the position illustrated in Fig. l the curved peripherel wall 23 is located closely adlacent the lower edge of the opening 3 in the conditioning chamber 0. A short depending flange a of the cover plate 40 overlies the end wall 33 or the conditioning chamber and a longer iiange 40b of the cover plate overlies the opening 3 in the top wall 31 between the fan and the edge of the opening.

The direction oi air delivery from the fan il may be changed from the vertical direction illustrated in Fig. 1 to a horizontal direction illustrated in Fig. 2 by merely turning the fan bodily on an axis coincident with the diagonal line A-A through the center of the fan. Due to the shape of the fan casing 23 and the opening 8 it is necessary to remove the fan il bodily from the conditioning chamber 0. turn it to the position illustrated in -Fig, 2 and then reinsert the fan into the conditioning chamber through the opening 3. Because oi' the asymmetrical shape of the scroll casing 23 the perlpheral wall 26 will be positioned closeiy adjacent the edge of the opening 3 in the top wall 31. The cover plate 40 fixedly connected to the fan casing 23 will cooperate with the top and end walls 31 and 38 to mount the fan on the conditioning chamber 3, but the cover plate will be reversed !rom the position illustrated in Fig. l so that the short flange Ma will be positioned to overlie the top wall and the longer fiange 40b will be positioned to overlie the opening in the end wall. Thus the cover plate 40 will cooperate with the conditioning chamber 3 at the sides oi the opening 8 to mount the fan li for either vertical or horizontal air delivery.

The fan H may be arranged to deliver air in other directions at equal angles to the diagonal line A-A by rearranging the position of the cover plate 40 on fan casing 23. However, as the air is delivered to either vertioally or horlzontally .arranged ducts in practically all installations, the arrangement illustrated in Figs. l and 2 for vertical and horizontal air delivery is preferred. One form of the invention having now been described in detall the manner of changing the air conditioner for either horizontal or vertical air delivery is explained as follows.

The air conditioner is shipped to the place of installation in a plurality of sections adapted to be quickly assembled into a complete unit with the fan II mounted in the conditioning chamber 3 in either one or the` other of its two positions. At the place of installation it is determined from the particular conditions, such as the relative location of the conditioner and ducts, as to whether the fan il should be mounted for horizontal or vertical air delivery. If the conditioner unit is shipped with the fan positioned for vertical air deliver-y as illustrated in Fig. 1 and it is necessary to change the position of the fan for horizontal air delivery as illustrated in Fig. 2, the screws li are removed from the cover plate 00 and the wheel shaft 30 withdrawn from the wheel 28. To this end the panele 33 are removed, the wheel 28 loosened on the shai't 30 and the shaft withdrawn longitudinally through one of the bearings 3i.

The fan ll is removed bodily from the'conditioring chamber 3 through the opening 3 and rotated 180 about the axis A--A from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2 and then reinserted into the conditioning chamber through the opening. The fianges 40a and 40b of the cover plate 40 will overlie the top and side walls 31 and 33 of the conditioning chamber 5. respecames tively. and the fan is rigidly mounted in position and the shalt and wheel connected together for rotation as a unit. The direction of rotation of the wheel 28 must be reversed, preferably by changing the wiring of the electric 'motor 33 to reverse its direction of rotation.

The duet 8 is connected to the inlet opening 'i of the conditioning chamber e and the duct i3 is connected to the outlet !2 of the fan' ii. When it is desired to cool the enclosure ill a cooling medium is supplied to the cooling element iii and the motor 33 is energized to rotate the fan wheel 28. The fan il draws air from the enclosure IO through the duct 9 and filter l into the conditioning chamber 6 and over the cooling element IE where the air is cooled and dehumidifled. The cool air is drawn into the fan casing 23 through the inlet openings 21 and is delivered by the fan wheel 28 to the outlet z and delivered through the duct w to the enclosure IB. When it is desired to heat the eni closure ill a heating medium is supplied to the heating element I 6. Air is drawn through the duct 9 into the conditioning chamber 6 through the filter M and passes over the tubes 20 of the heating element IS where it is heated. The heated air enters the circulating fan il in the manner previously described and is delivered through the duet s to the enclosure m.

It will now be observed that the present invention provides a novel construction and arrangement of elements to adapt the circulatingfan to be mounted.in the conditioning chamber t for either horizontal or vertical delivery of air. It will also be observed that the present invention provides a common means for mounting the circulating fan in a plurality of positions in the conditioning chamber.

served that the present invention provides for changing the direction of air delivery by merely' following claim.

Iclaim:

1. In an air conditioner, a conditioning chamber having an opening therein, an air di'ecting casing in the conditioning chamber having an outlet duet projecting through the opening and a laterally extending cover plate overlying the conditioning chamber'at the sides oi' the opening, said conditioning chamber and cover plate being so constructed and arranged as to mount said air directing casing in a piurality of positions in the conditioning chamber 'so that its outlet duet may project through the opening in different directions, common means forattaching the cover plate to the conditioning chamber in any of its plurality of positions, and means to deliver air from said conditioning chamber through said air directing casing.

It will still further be ob- 2. In an air conditioner, a casing forming a conditioning chamber having an opening therein, a centrifugal fan comprising a scroll casing having an outlet duct projecting through the 5 opening in the conditioning chamber, said scroll casing being rotatable bodily about an axis in the plane of its casing to adapt the outlet duct to project through the opening in different directions, and a cover plate on the scroll casing 10 overlying the conditioning chamber at the sides of the opening for mounting the fan casing in the conditioning chamber in either position.

3. In an air conditioner, a casing fcrming a conditioning chamber having an opening therein, a centrifugal fan having a calng movable into and removable from the conditioning chamber through the opening therein, said casing forming an air outlet projecting through the opening in the conditioning chamber. a cover go plate attached to the sides of the fan casing and overlying the conditioning chamber at the sides of the opening. said conditioning chamber and fan casing being so constructed and arranged as to adapt the fan for either horizontal or vertical air delivery by rotating it -bodily about 'an axis in the plane of the casing, and said cover plate cooperating with the conditioning chamber to mount the fan in either position on the conditioning chamber.

4. In an air conditioner, a casing forming a generally rectangular conditioning chamber, an `air inlet opening at one end of the chamber, an opening in a corner at the opposite end of the conditioning chamber extending an equal distance on opposite sides oi' a diagonal line bisecting the corner angle ot the chamber, a centrifugal fan having a scroll casing movable into and removable from the conditioning chamber through the opening therein, said scroll casing 40 forming an outlet projecting through the opening and said outlet being adapted for either horizontal or vertical air delivery by rotating the scroll casing about an axis coincident'with the diagonal line through the corner of the casing, and a cover plate attached to the sides of the scroll casing and cooperating with the conditioning chamber adjacent the sides of the opening for mounting the scroll casing in either of its two positions: 5. In an air conditioner, a casing forming a 5 generaily rectangular conditioning chamber having an air iniet opening at one end and an opening in the top end and walls at the opposite end, a centrifugal fan having a scroll casing and a blade wheel movable into and removable from the conditioning chamber through the opening, said scroll casing forming an air outlet, and a cover plate attached to the sides of the scroll casing and cooperating with the conditioning chamber at the sides of the opening to mount so the fan in the chamber with its outlet extending through the opening and the axis of rotation of its wheel positioned equally distant from the top and end walls of the chamber whereby to adapt the fan i'or either horizontal or vertical air delivery by rotating the fan with respect to the chamber about a diagonal axis normal to the axis of rotation of the wheel.

76. In an air conditioner, a casing forming a generally rectangular conditioning chamber having an air inlet opening at one end and an outlet opening in a corner at the opposite end, said outlet opening being arranged symmetricaily on opposite sides of a diagonal line bisecting the corner angle of the chamber, a centrifugal'fan 7 having a scroll casing and blade wheel movable into and removable !rom the conditioning chamber through the opening. said blade wheel being mounted for rotation on an axis normal to said bisecting line and said scroll casing being &symmetricai with respect to the axis of rotation o! the wheei and i'orming an outlet projecting through the opening in the conditioning chamber. said scroll casing being adapted for either horizontal or vertical air delivery by bodily rotating the scroll casing on an axis coircident with the diagonai line through the corner of the chamber before the casing is inserted into the chamber. and a cover pinte projecting !rom the sides of the scroll casing and cooperating with the conditioning chamber a'djacent the sides of the opening to mount the casing for either horizontal or vertical air delivery and cover the opening at the sides of the fan outlet.

WALTER M. BIMPSON.

BEFEBENCES CITED The following reference& are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

